OUR ANTS. 29 



and ciliate. In the insect, seen from above, all the segments of the 

 abdomen are visible, the fifth being conical and apical. 



Gen. 1. Camponotus (Mayr). 

 The genus Camponotus may be i^cognized by the trapeziform 

 epistome. It is, however, easily distinguished from the next, by 

 the two first segments of the abdomen being sub-equal in length. 

 There are two forms of 5 > difi'ering immensely in size and shape, 

 but connected by a series of intermediate forms. The genus is best 

 represented by the large black ant, so common about our bunga- 

 lows, the species of which varies with the locality. {In Northern 

 India it seems to be replaced by another genus, viz., — Myrmecocys- 

 tus.) Wherever Gamponotus is found, a search, more or less 

 protracted, will often disclose, that she has a colony of * cattle ' 

 somewhere. These ' cattle ' are usually either lycasnid larvse or some 

 species of homopteron. In the eastern part of the Poona District 

 nearly every babhul tree {Aeacia Arahica) will be found covered 

 with Oamponotus, the ascending individuals, sleek and black, the 

 descending, bloated, and showing whitish rings between the 

 segments of the monstrously distended abdomen. I have never 

 been able to decide whether they had * cattle ' up aloft, or were 

 extracting, directly, the vegetable juices, with which they were 

 evidently distended. Mr. Aitken, who is a close observer, and to 

 whom I propounded the problem, wrote to me : " 1 have come to the 

 " conclusion, that one of the most important sources of * food supply,' 

 ''which ants have, is the sacchariferous glands, to be found at the 

 ** bases of so many leaves. The Banian {Ficus Indica) leaf, in 

 " January and February, has a smear of sweets, just at the junction 

 " of the leaf and its stem, which is in great request, even among- 

 " parrots and squirrels (you will see the latter rushing about the tree, 

 *' giving a lick to each leaf in turn). How much more ants 1 '' I 

 must confess that my observations corroborate this view. The mar- 

 riage flight takes place, as recorded in his paper by iVlr. Rothney, 

 and by Jerdon, in June, after the first monsoon showers, usually in 

 the evening or at night, though on cloudy, drizzling mornings, I have 

 seen the exodus of $ and 6 continue up to 8, or even 10 a. m. 

 The genus, I believe, is normally crepuscular, and during the hot 

 weather there is very little activity displayed, but, as soon as 



